Matta: Craft deserved defensive POY

Ohio State coach Thad Matta admitted he is biased, but he said today he was "shocked" and "amazed" that Victor Oladipo of Indiana was voted Big Ten defensive player of the year this week instead of the Buckeyes' Aaron Craft.

Craft won the award last year as a sophomore.

"I think Victor Oladipo is a tremendous, outstanding, awesome defender, one of the best I’ve ever seen," Matta said. "But Aaron Craft is in a whole ‘nother world when it comes to defense, and this basketball team would not be anywhere (near) where it is without the impact he makes on the defensive end.

"I’m not taking anything away from Oladipo. I think the guy is awesome," Matta added. "But Aaron doesn’t fly through the air and pin shots on the glass. He takes them from the guy’s hands when he’s on the floor. How many five-second counts has Aaron Craft gotten this year by himself, man on man, with 80 feet to get away from him and they can’t get away?"

Matta was unaware that only he and his fellow coaches, and not a panel of media members, vote for the defensive-player-of-the-year award.

He said he also thought David Lighty was shortchanged by voters when Lighty played for Ohio State. Matta often said he thoughtLighty was the best defender in the conference if not the country, but Lighty never was Big Ten defensive player of the year and made the all-defensive team only as a senior.

"Aaron Craft should be the national defender of the year," Matta said. "I don’t even care about the Big Ten, he should be the national defender of the year. And I said the same thing about David Lighty.

"Maybe I’m biased, but I know you have to game plan for (Craft). As an opposing team, you have to be aware of where he is when you’re running your offense. . . . I’ve been in this league nine years, and I’ve never seen a kid make an impact on a basketball team like he does on the defensive end.